An Insider View of Iowa GOP Politics by former SCC Member David Chung

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On being a Christian Leader in the Iowa GOP

When I went to college at UNI I majored (or at least it seemed that I did) in Frisbee. Whenever I saw people throwing a Frisbee I would ask to join in. I became convicted, I realized that I spent more time teaching strangers how to do Frisbee tricks than spreading the gospel. I decided to do something about it. Since I carried a Frisbee in my book bag everywhere I went. On the inside rim of my Frisbee, I wrote in permanent marker:

F I A N A O T G O C

When I would start throwing my Frisbee people would see the writing on the rim and ask what it meant. I told them that it stood for the first letters of the words of Romans 1:16:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ …

It gave me opportunities and forced me to engage with people I met about my faith and in many cases share the gospel with them.

Now, as I ‘retire’ from a leadership position within the Republican Party of Iowa, I want to take the opportunity once more to share my faith. I don’t just want to fight for Christian principles … I have been called to make disciples.

I have posted this before but as I retire I want to take one last opportunity.

Over the years I have observed a number of Christian Leaders within our party and I guess people have also observed me. What I have observed is a focus on social issues like abortion and public sanction of homosexual unions. Many who share my faith have exhibited a righteous zeal when it comes to issues — a zeal that I often share. What I have not seen enough of is faith. So I want to do something in this post that I have not seen many other Christian Leaders in our party do — I want to share my faith.

My politics are shaped by my faith. In fact I believe that everyone’s politics are shaped by their faith. Perhaps not a traditional religious faith but by those core beliefs that they hold dear. But more important than my politics, my life should be shaped by my faith. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I believe that I have a responsibility to share my faith with others. I would be remiss in my duty if I fought only for social issues and did not take opportunity to share my testimony of how Jesus Christ changed my life. So if any of you are still reading …

I was raised knowing the stories and characters from the Bible like Noah, Jonah, David, Joshua, Daniel, etc. I knew that I was a sinner as the Bible says:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; — Romans 3:23

I knew that sin caused separation and death, and I knew that the ultimate result of sin was Hell. In fact when Paul describes death as the wages of sin he is saying that death (like wages) is something we have earned!

For the wages of sin is death — Romans 6:23a

But I thought that the way to be reconciled to God was by my works. That if I did more good things than bad, God would weigh the good against the bad and if the balance came out in my favor, I would be allowed into heaven. I figured that while I was not as good as say, Mother Teresa, I was also not as bad as say, Hitler. In the end since I did more good than bad I figured that I would be OK.

But one day, everything changed. A dear friend of mine started arguing with me, she said that there was nothing I could do that could measure up to what Jesus Christ did for me. He came to Earth and offered himself up a perfect sinless sacrifice. He suffered and died for me. She showed me from the Bible that God was offering salvation to all as a free gift, that to try and earn it was an insult to God. And one day, it clicked, the Holy Spirit reached out to me heart and convinced me that I could not earn salvation, that it was a free gift.

… but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. — Romans 6:23b

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. — Romans 5:8

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. — Romans 10:9

It was 1975 and I repented of my sin, and did confess with my mouth and believe in my heart, I accepted the free gift of salvation that God purchased for me through His Son, and anyone reading this post can do the same. I will continue to post on this site about topics that are politically interesting or important to me, but as a have chosen not to run for re-election to the RPI State Central Committee, I felt that I had to post on the topic that is most important to me. I would challenge other Christian Leaders in our party to share not just their political convictions, but to join me in sharing their faith.

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One thought on “On being a Christian Leader in the Iowa GOP”

Very well said David. I appreciate your taking time to share the core issue in faith – does it actually restore a person to a right relationship with God? And the answer you gave as well too. Revelation 3:20 says He stands at door and knocks, and if anyone opens the door, He will come in and the relationship begins. 1975 was a good year – that’s when Jesus got ahold of me too.